Emission, combustion, and efficiency estimates for flares are in need of improvement. Current estimates are based on factors gleaned from limited data, and environmental factors during flare operation are rarely taken into account. Extractive sampling methods generally collect an aliquot of the pollutant gases or species of interest from within a well-mixed exhaust stack prior to release into the atmosphere. In most cases, these exhaust stacks are equipped with platforms and sampling ports to permit easy access for the sampling equipment and personnel. As such, a variety of continuous or integrated measurement techniques can be used to quantify the emissions from these sources. Because the combustion of flares occurs at the flare tip, and the exhaust gases are emitted directly to the atmosphere at a height of several hundred feet, use of stack sampling methods for characterizing flare emissions are not practical.